Britain hopes to make ”real progress” on climate change and Africa during its presidencies of the European Union and Group of Eight industrialized nations, the British government said Tuesday.
Britain believes that urgent action is needed to combat both problems, according to a paper prepared by Prime Minister Tony Blairs Labour government. ”2005 is a year of opportunity for Africa,” says the briefing document for journalists which accompanied the new government’s legislative program announced to parliament on Tuesday by Queen Elizabeth.
London is hoping to use the G8 summit in Scotland in July to increase aid flows into Africa. On climate change, the briefing paper says, ”Our prime objective is to raise the profile of climate change as a matter deserving the urgent attention of heads of state in the G8 and outside it, to promote an international consensus on the need for further action to control emissions.”
As well as Africa and climate change being priorities for its EU presidency, which starts in July, Britain will also push for trade liberalization to ensure better access to markets for developing countries.
On UN reform, Britain restates its support for Japan, Germany, Brazil and India becoming permanent members of the Security Council. However, the government adds that this issue must not overshadow the UN Millennium Review Summit in September. – It is vital that the summits broad agenda is not eclipsed by the Security Council debate, the paper adds.
The government also says it will keep British troops in Iraq as long as they are requested to do so by the Iraqi government. But it says that it is making ”great efforts” to train and equip local army and police forces.
UK assumes the 6-month rotating presidency of the EU in July. A further aim of Blairs policy priorities will include reviewing the EUs sustainable development strategy which promotes economically and environmentally sustainable growth, including advancing chemicals regulations and to successfully launch accession negotiations with Turkey on Oct. 3.
Meanwhile, activist and rock star Bob Geldof told a conference Monday that the leaders of the worlds wealthiest countries will not be welcome in Britain unless they do more to alleviate poverty in the developing world.
Addressing a meeting at the Scottish parliament, Geldof harshly criticized western countries for failing to make progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. He said G8 leaders should use their summer conference, to be held at Gleneagles hotel in Perthshire, to make some real progress towards the poverty-reduction targets they signed up to in 2000.
Geldof attacked the lack of progress that has been made towards these goals, which include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, universal primary education and halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and malaria by 2015.
In other news, The Hindustan Times (India) and Xinhua (China) note that Britain will hold a donors conference in June to help raise funds for the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
